Prayers and Meditations — §578

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 578 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

ْلِ ما كُنْتَ فِي أَزَلِ الآزالِ، عَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْكَ تَوَجَّهْتُ وَبِحَبْلِ عُطُوفَتِكَ تَمَسَّكْتُ وَإِلى ظِلِّ رَحْمَتِكَ سَرُعْتُ لا تَطْرُدْنِي يا إِلهِي عَنْ بابِكَ خائِبًا وَلا تَمْنَعْنِي عَنْ فَضْلِكَ لأنِّي كُنْتُ راجِيًا، لا إِلهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ الغَفُورُ

Shoghi Effendi Translation

In Thee I have placed my whole confidence, unto Thee I have turned my face, to the cord of Thy loving providence I have clung, and towards the shadow of Thy mercy I have hastened. Cast me not as one disappointed out of Thy door, O my God, and withhold not from me Thy grace, for Thee alone do I seek. No God is there beside Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Bountiful.

Translation Notes

ما

m-ʾ

literal: what; which; that which; relative pronoun; interrogative

كُنْتَ

k-w-n

literal: to do; to make; to perform; to be; was

فِي

f-y

literal: in; in-it; in it

أَزَلِ

ʾ-z-l

literal: eternity; pre-eternity; without beginning; eternal; everlasting; from eternity

عَلَيْكَ

ʿ-l-y → “upon”

literal: highest; most high; supreme

تَوَكَّلْتُ

w-k-l → “ministers” Distinctive

literal: guardian; protector; friend; ally

وَإِلَيْكَ

y-k → “one”

literal: guardian; protector; friend; ally

تَوَجَّهْتُ

w-j-h → “I have turned”

literal: face; countenance; direction; aspect

وَبِحَبْلِ

ḥ-b-l → “to the cord”

literal: cord; rope; bond; connection

عُطُوفَتِكَ

ʿ-ṭ-f → “of Thy loving providence”

literal: compassionate; kindness/compassion; kindness

تَمَسَّكْتُ

m-s-k → “I have clung” Distinctive

literal: hold fast; clinging; cling

وَإِلى

w-l-y → “Lord” Distinctive

literal: guardian; protector; friend; ally

ظِلِّ

ẓ-l-l → “shadow”

literal: to take shelter; to dwell in shadow

رَحْمَتِكَ

r-ḥ-m → “of Thy mercy”

literal: merciful, compassionate; pertaining to divine mercy

سَرُعْتُ

s-r-ʿ → “I have hastened”

literal: speed; swiftness; haste

لا

l-ʾ → “No”

literal: no; not; negation particle

تَطْرُدْنِي

ṭ-r-d → “Cast me”

literal: cast out; driven away; expelled

يا

y-ʾ → “O”

literal: O; or

إِلهِي

ʾ-l-h → “my God”

literal: God; Allah; deity; Divinity; divine nature; godhood

عَنْ

ʿ-n → “from”

literal: from; about; concerning; away from

بابِكَ

b-w-b → “Thy door”

literal: door; gate; opening; chapter; way

خائِبًا

kh-y-b → “withhold” Distinctive

literal: to fail, be disappointed; disappointed, frustrated

تَمْنَعْنِي

m-n-ʿ → “from me” Distinctive

literal: prevent; prevented; prevention

فَضْلِكَ

f-ḍ-l → “Thy grace”

literal: grace; bounty; generosity; excellence

لأنِّي

ʾ-n-n → “for” Distinctive

literal: because, for

راجِيًا،

r-j-w → “in the hope” Distinctive

literal: hope; hope, desire; hope/desire

إِلهَ

ʾ-l-h → “God”

literal: God; Allah; deity; Divinity; divine nature; godhood

إِلاَّ

ʾ-kh-r → “end”

literal: except; but; if not; lo; now; at this time; save; only; unless

أَنْتَ

ʾ-n-t → “Thou”

literal: you (masculine singular)

الغَفُورُ

gh-f-r → “the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Bountiful”

literal: to forgive; forgiveness

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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50 ¶

Gleanings

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A compilation of 166 selections from Bahá’u’lláh’s Tablets, spanning the Baghdad, Adrianople, and ‘Akká periods (1853–1892). George Townshend assisted with English refinement. Shoghi Effendi wrote that it gives the friends a splendid opportunity to acquire knowledge and understanding of the Faith.

729 ¶

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16 ¶

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291 ¶

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17 ¶

Tablet of Carmel

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5 ¶

Tablet of the Holy Mariner

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57 ¶

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Seventy-one Arabic and eighty-two Persian aphorisms revealed around 1858 while walking along the banks of the Tigris in Baghdad. Originally designated the “Hidden Book of Fáṭimih,” Shoghi Effendi described it as a marvelous collection of gem-like utterances occupying a position of unsurpassed preeminence among the ethical writings of the Faith.

160 ¶

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‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Written by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in three parts between 1901 and 1908, opened and read after His passing on 28 November 1921. Shoghi Effendi designated it the Charter of the New World Order — the mightiest instrument forged to ensure the continuity of the three ages of the Bahá’í Dispensation.

59 ¶